Prop&rt1  y 
H.MOK3B5- 


Vol.  II. 


MOT  R'S. 


No.  4, 


IK  AR 


Translations  and  Reprints 


FROM  THE 


Original  Sources  of  European  History 


MONASTIC  TALES  OF  THE  XIII.  CENTURY. 


EDITED  BY  DANA  CARLETON  MUNRO,  M.  A. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

The  Department  of  History  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 


Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1895. 

English  Agency:  P.  S.  KING  & SON,  12-14  King  Street,  London,  S.  W. 


Price , iq  Cents. 


f\ 


THE  use  by  readers  and  students  of  those  original  documents  from 
which  our  knowledge  of  history  is  so  largely  drawn  has  come  to  be 
valued  in  recent  times  at  something  like  its  true  worth.  The  sequence 
of  past  events,  the  form  and  spirit  of  institutions,  the  characters  of  men, 
the  prevailing  habits  of  thought,  obtain  their  greatest  reality  when  we  study 
them  in  the  very  words  used  by  the  men  to  whom  the  past  was  the  living 
present.  Even  historians  who  have  not  been  characterized  by  a close  de- 
pendence on  the  results  of  patient  investigation  of  the  sources  have  recog- 
nized the  superiority  of  an  appeal  to  original  testimony.  Mr.  Froude  says, 

“ Wherever  possible,  let  us  not  be  told  about  this  man  or  that.  Let  us  hear 
the  man  himself  speak,  let  us  see  him  act,  and  let  us  be  left  to  form  our 
own  opinion  about  him.’’  And  in  “Stones  of  Venice,’’  Mr.  Ruskin  writes, 

‘ ‘ the  only  history  worth  reading  is  that  written  at  the  time  of  which  it 
treats,  the  history  of  what  was  done  and  seen,  heard  out  of  the  mouths  of 
the  men  who  did  and  saw.  One  fresh  draught  of  such  history  is  worth  more 
than  a thousand  volumes  of  abstracts,  and  reasonings,  and  suppositions  and 
theories.” 

Experience  has  proved  not  only  that  the  interest  of  students  can  be 
more  readily  obtained  through  the  vividness  of  a direct  and  first-hand  pre- 
sentation, and  that  knowledge  thus  gained  is  more  tangible  and  exact ; but 
that  the  critical  judgment  is  developed  in  no  slight  degree,  and  the  ability 
as  well  as  the  interest  for  further  study  thus  secured. 

The  utilization  of  the  original  sources  of  history  has,  however,  been 
much  restricted  by  their  comparative  inaccessibility.  A great  proportion  of 
such  documents  as  illustrate  European  history  exist  only  in  more  or  less  un- 
familiar languages  ; many  are  to  be  found  only  in  large  and  expensive  col- 
lections, or  in  works  that  are  out  of  print  and  therefore  difficult  to  obtain  or 
consult. 

The  desire  to  overcome  in  some  degree  this  inaccessibility,  especially 
for  their  own  classes,  led  the  editors  of  the  present  series  of  translations 
and  reprints  from  the  original  sources  of  European  history  to  undertake  its 
publication.  During  the  past  year  evidence  has  been  given  of  the  usefulness 
of  the  documents  in  several  directions.  Their  most  considerable  use  has 
naturally  been  with  college  classes.  One  or  more  of  the  issues  has  been 
used  in  thirteen  of  the  principal  Universities  and  Colleges.  In  addition  to 
these  and  their  use  in  lower  schools  they  have  been  found  to  give  increased 
value  to  University  Extension  courses  and  reading  circles. 

The  extent  of  this  use,  with  the  generous  support  of  a considerable 
number  of  general  readers,  has  justified  the  editors  in  continuing  the  series 
for  a second  year,  in  reducing  the  price,  and  increasing  the  number  of 
issues.  As  during  the  past  year  the  publications  will  be  in  the  three  fields 
of  English,  Modern  European,  and  Mediaeval  History  ; and  will  be  edited 
respectively  by  Professor  Edward  P.  Cheyney,  Professor  James  Harvey 
Robinson,  and  Mr.  Dana  C.  Munro.  They  will  consist  of  translations  of 
typical  or  especially  significant  original  documents  of  those  periods  ; or  in 
a few  cases  of  documents  in  English  which  are  otherwise  difficult  of  access. 


Translations  and  Reprints 


FROM  THE 

ORIGINAL  SOURCES  OF  EUROPEAN  HISTORY. 


Vol.  II.  Monastic  Tales  of  the  XIII.  Century.  No.  4. 


table  of  contents. 

PAGE 

I.  Tales  of  the  Virgin. 

1.  Virgin  saves  matron  and  monk,  who  elope  with  treas- 

ures of  monastery,  ......  2 

2.  Virgin  takes  the  place  of  nun,  who  has  fled  from  the 

convent,  .......  4 

3.  Woman  is  punished  for  despising  a statue  of  the  Virgin,  5 

4.  Horrible  death  of  a blasphemer  of  the  Virgin,  . . 5 

5.  A robber  is  delivered  from  hanging,  because  of  his  pray- 

ers to  the  Virgin,  ......  6 

6.  The  devil  thwarted  by  prayers  to  the  Virgin,  . . 6 

II.  Tales  of  the  Devil. 

1.  Devil  confesses  that  he  entered  a woman,  because  she 

was  delivered  to  him  by  her  husband,  . . .7 

2.  Devil  carries  a knight  from  the  church  of  St.  Thomas 

in  India  to  his  own  country,  . . « 7 

3.  Two  heretics  work  miracles  by  the  aid  of  the  devil,  9 

III.  Tales  of  Relics. 

1.  Relics  of  St.  Martin  heal  two  beggars  against  their  will,  11 

2.  The  arm  of  John  the  Baptist  makes  a merchant  wealth}7,  12 

3.  Miracles  wrought  by  bridle,  falsely  called  a relic,  . 14 

IV.  Tales  of  Confession. 

1.  By  confession  a guilty  priest  escapes  exposure,  14 

2. '  Through  confession,  the  devil’s  record  is  blotted  out,  16 

3.  Through  confession,  a forgotten  prayer  is  erased  from 

the  devil’s  book,  . . . . . .16 

4.  A heretic  healed  by  confession,  relapses  and  is  burnt,  17 

V.  Tales  of  the  Host. 

1.  Christ  is  seen  in  the  hands  of  a priest,  . .18 

2.  Woman  is  punished  for  scattering  the  host  upon  her 

vegetables,  . . . . . 19 

3.  Bees  construct  a church  for  the  host,  . . 19 


2 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


I.  TALES  OF  THE  VIRGIN. 

In  the  popular  estimation  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  held  the  first  place.  She  was 
the  mother  of  mercy,  the  intercessor.  God,  the  Father,  and  God,  the  Son,  might  be 
wroth  against  men,  but  could  not  withstand  the  pleadings  of  the  holy  Virgin.  To  her 
nothing  was  impossible. 

The  impetus  given  to  the  worship  of  the  mother  of  God  by  Bernhard  of  Clairvaux, 
had  been  increased  by  the  preaching  of  his  Cistercian  followers  and  had  spread  to  the 
whole  church.  In  the  XIII.  century  the  people  were  taught  the  Ave  Maria  as  well  as 
the  Lord’s  prayer  and  the  creed.  Attendance  at  church  in  her  honor  on  Saturday 
evenings  was  prescribed  by  the  Council  of  Toledo  in  1229.  The  celebration  of  the 
feast  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  was  becoming  common,  although  it  was  not  recog- 
nized as  necessary.  In  fact,  the  popular  enthusiasm  for  the  worship  of  the  blessed 
Virgin  far  out-stripped  the  careful  theories  of  the  schoolmen  as  to  the  exact  amount  of 
reverence  due  to  her  (the  hyperdulia  of  Thomas  Aquinas). 

In  the  following  tales  we  find  her  commanding  the  demons,  rescuing  those  who 
have  done  her  honor  and  revenging  herself  on  those  who  have  neglected  her.  The 
last  trait  is  especially  instructive  as  to  the  attitude  of  popular  religion  in  the  XIII.  cen- 
tury. When  heresies  were  so  rife  and  the  church  was  in  such  sore  straits,  even  the 
mother  of  mercy  was  compelled  to  exact  sternly  the  honor  due  to  herself.  The  last 
example  illustrates  the  belief  in  the  efficacy  of  the  same  prayer  many  times  repeated 
(by  reason  of  which  the  rosary  came  into  use).  In  other  tales  we  find  the  Virgin 
powerless  to  punish  the  wicked,  because  they  pray  to  her  assiduously. 


1.  VIRGIN  SA  VES  MA  TRON  AND  MONK , WHO  ELOPE  WITH 
TREASURES  OF  MONASTERY. 

Jacques  de  Vitry,  CCLXXXII,  pp.  117  ff.  * 

A certain  very  religious  man  told  me  that  this  happened  in  a place 
where  he  had  been  staying.  A virtuous  and  pious  matron  came 
frequently  to  the  church  and  served  God  most  devoutly,  day  and  night. 
Also  a certain  monk,  the  guardian  and  treasurer  of  the  monastery,  had 
a great  reputation  for  piety,  and  truly  he  was  devout.  When,  however, 
the  two  frequently  conversed  together  in  the  church  concerning  religious 
matters,  the  devil,  envying  their  virtue  and  reputation,  tempted  them 
very  sorely,  so  that  the  spiritual  love  was  changed  to  carnal.  Accordingly 
they  made  an  agreement  and  fixed  upon  a night  in  which  the  monk  was 
to  leave  his  monastery,  taking  the  treasures  of  the  church,  and  the 

* The  editions  cited  in  this  pamphlet  are:  (1)  The  Exampla  of  Jacques  de  Vitry,  edited  by 
Thomas  Frederick  Crane,  M.  A.,  published  for  the  Folk  Lore  Society,  1890  ; (2)  Caesarii  Heister- 
bacensis  monachi  ordinis  Cisterciensis  Dialogus  Miraculorum.  Edited  by  Josephus  Strange.  2 Vols. 
Cologne,  1851 ; (3)  Anecdotes  Historiques,  L6gendes  et  Apologues  tir6s  du  recueil  in6dit  d'E'tienne 
de  Bourbon,  dominicain  du  XHIg  sigcle.  Publics  pour  la  Soci6t6  de  l’Histoirg  de  France  par  A- 
Lecoy  de  la  Marche.  Paris,  1877. 


VIRGIN  SAVES  MATRON  AND  MONK. 


matron  was  to  leave  her  home,  with  a sum  of  money  which  she  should 
secretly  steal  from  her  husband. 

After  they  had  fled,  the  monks  on  rising  in  the  morning,  saw  that 
the  receptacles  were  broken  and  the  treasures  of  the  church  stolen ; and 
not  finding  the  monk,  they  quickly  pursued  him.  Likewise  the  husband 
of  the  said  woman,  seeing  his  chest  open  and  the  money  gone,  pursued 
his  wife.  Overtaking  the  monk  and  the  woman  with  the  treasure  and 
money,  they  brought  them  back  and  threw  them  into  prison.  Moreover 
so  great  was  the  scandal  throughout  the  whole  country  and  so  much 
were  all  religious  persons  reviled  that  the  damage  from  the  infamy  and 
scandal  was  far  greater  than  from  the  sin  itself. 

Then  the  monk  restored  to  his  senses,  began  with  many  tears  to 
pray  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  whom  from  infancy  he  had  always  served, 
and  never  before  had  any  such  misfortune  happened  to  him.  Likewise 
the  said  matron  began  urgently  to  implore  the  aid  of  the  blessed  Virgin 
whom,  constantly,  day  and  night,  she  was  accustomed  to  salute  and  to 
kneel  in  prayer  before  her  image.  At  length,  the  blessed  Virgin  very 
irate,  appeared  and  after  she  had  upbraided  them  severely,  she  said,  “ I 
am  able  to  obtain  the  remission  of  your  sins  from  my  son,  but  what  can 
I do  about  such  an  awful  scandal  ? For  you  have  so  befouled  the  name 
of  religious  persons  before  all  the  people,  that  in  the  future  no  one  will 
trust  them.  This  is  an  almost  irremediable  damage.” 

Nevertheless  the  pious  Virgin,  overcome  by  their  prayers,  sum- 
moned the  demons,  who  had  caused  the  deed,  and  enjoined  upon  them 
that,  as  they  had  caused  the  scandal  to  religion,  they  must  bring  the 
infamy  to  an  end.  Since,  indeed,  they  were  not  able  to  resist  her  com- 
mands, after  much  anxiety  and  various  conferences  they  found  a way  to 
remove  the  infamy.  In  the  night  they  placed  the  monk  in  his  church 
and  repairing  the  broken  receptacle  as  it  was  before,  they  placed  the 
treasure  in  it.  Also  they  closed  and  locked  the  chest  which  the  matron 
had  opened  and  replaced  the  money  in  it.  And  they  set  the  woman  in 
her  room  and  in  the  place  where  she  was  accustomed  to  pray  by  night. 

When,  moreover,  the  monks  found  the  treasure  of  their  house  and 
the  monk,  who  was  praying  to  God  just  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
do ; and  the  husband  satf  his  wife  and  the  treasure ; and  they  found  the 
money  just  as  it  had  been  before,  they  became  stupefied  and  wondered. 
Rushing  to  the  prison  they  saw  the  monk  and  the  woman  in  fetters  just 
as  they  had  left  them.  For  one  of  the  demons  was  seen  by  them  trans- 
formed into  the  jlikeness  of  a monk  and  another  into  the  likeness  of  a 
woman.  When  all  in  the  whole  city  had  come  together  to  see  the  mir- 


4 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


acle,  the  demons  said  in  the  hearing  of  all,  “ Let  us  go,  for  sufficiently 
have  we  deluded  these  people  and  caused  them  to  think  evil  of  religious 
persons.”  And,  saying  this,  they  suddenly  disappeared.  Moreover  all 
threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  monk  and  of  the  woman  and 
demanded  pardon. 

Behold  how  great  infamy  and  scandal  and  how  inestimable  damage 
the  devil  would  have  wrought  against  religious  persons,  if  the  blessed 
Virgin  had  not  aided  them. 


2.  VIRGIN  TAKES  7 HE  PLACE  OF  NUN , WHO  HAS  FLED 
FROM  THE  CONVENT 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Distinctio  VII,  Cap.  XXXIV.  Vol.  II,  pp.  42-43. 

Not  many  years  ago,  in  a certain  monastery  of  nuns,  of  which  I 
do  not  know  the  name,  there  lived  a virgin,  named  Beatrix.  She  was 
beautiful  in  form,  devout  in  mind,  and  most  fervent  in  the  service 
of  the  mother  of  God.  As  often  as  she  could  offer  to  the  Virgin  special 
prayers  and  supplications,  she  held  them  for  her  dearest  delight.  In 
truth,  being  made  custodian,  she  did  this  more  devoutly  and  more 
freely. 

A certain  clerk,  seeing  and  desiring  her,  began  to  tempt  her.  When 
she  spurned  the  words  of  lust,  and  he  insisted  so  much  the  more  stren- 
uously, the  old  serpent  enkindled  her  breast  so  vehemently,  that  she 
was  not  able  to  bear  the  flames  of  love.  Finally,  approaching  the  altar 
of  the  blessed  Virgin,  the  patroness  of  the  oratory,  she  spoke  thus : 
“ My  lady,  I have  served  thee  as  devoutly  as  I could.  Behold,  I resign 
thy  keys  to  thee.  I am  not  able  any  longer  to  withstand  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  flesh.”  And,  placing  the  keys  on  the  altar,  she  followed 
the  clerk  secretly. 

When  that  wretched  man  had  corrupted  her,  he  abandoned  her 
after  a few  days.  Since  she  had  no  means  of  living  and  blushed  to 
return  to  the  convent,  she  led  a life  of  shame.  After  she  had  publicly 
continued  in  that  vice  for  fifteen  years,  she  came,  one  day,  in  a lay 
habit,  to  the  door  of  the  monastery.  She  said  to  the  doorkeeper,  “ Did 
you  know  Beatrix,  formerly  custodian  of  this  oratory  ? ” He  replied, 
“ Certainly,  I knew  her.  For  she  is  an  honest  and  holy  woman,  and 
from  infancy  even  to  the  present  day  she  has  remained  in  this  monastery 
without  complaint.”  When  she  hearing  the  man’s  words,  but  not 
understanding  them,  wished  to  go  away,  the  mother  of  mercy  appeared 
to  her  in  her  well-known  image  and  said,  “ During  the  fifteen  years  of 


HORRIBLE  DEATH  OF  A BLASPHEMER  OF  THE  VIRGIN. 


5 


your  absence,  I have  filled  your  office.  Now  return  to  your  place  and 
do  penance;  for  no  man  knows  of  your  departure.”  In  fact,  in  the 
form  and  dress  of  that  woman,  the  mother  of  God  had  performed 
the  duties  of  custodian.  Beatrix  entered  at  once  and  returned  thanks 
as  long  as  she  lived,  revealing  through  confession  what  had  been  done 
for  her. 


3.  A WOMAN  IS  PUNISHED  FOR  DESPISING  A STATUE  OP 

THE  VIRGIN 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  VII,  Cap.  XLIV.  Vol.  II,  pp.  62-63. 

In  the  chapel  of  the  castle  of  Yeldenz  there  is  a certain  ancient 
statue  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  holding  her  son  in  her  bosom.  This  statue 
is,  indeed,  not  very  well  made,  but  is  endowed  with  great  virtue.  A 
certain  matron  of  this  castle — which  is  situated  in  the  diocese  of  Trier 
— standing  in  the  chapel,  one  day,  looked  at  the  image  and  despising 
the  workmanship,  said,  “ Why  does  this  old  rubbish  stand  here  ? ” 

The  blessed  Virgin,  the  mother  of  mercy,  not,  as  I think,  com- 
plaining to  her  son  of  the  woman  who  spoke  so  foolishly,  but  predicting 
the  future  penalty  for  the  crime  to  a certain  other  matron,  said,  “ Be- 
cause that  lady  ” — designating  her  by  name — “ called  me  old  rubbish, 
she  shall  always  be  wretched  as  long  as  she  lives.” 

After  a few  days  that  lady  was  driven  out  by  her  own  son  from  all 
her  possessions,  and  up  to  the  present  day,  she  begs  wretchedly  enough, 
suffering  the  punishment  for  her  foolish  speech.  Behold,  how  the 
blessed  Virgin  loves  and  honors  those  who  love  her,  and  punishes  and 
humbles  those  who  despise  her. 


4.  HORRIBLE  DEATH  OF  A BLASPHEMER  OF  THE  VIRGIN. 

Etienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  133,  p.  113. 

Also  near  Cluny  it  happened  recently, — namely,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1246,  when  I was  there, — that  I heard  from  several  how  a certain 
tavern  keeper  on  the  Saturday  before  Advent,  in  selling  wine  and  tak- 
ing his  pay,  blasphemed  Christ  during  the  whole  day.  But  when 
about  the  ninth  hour,  in  the  presence  of  a multitude  of  men,  he  had 
sworn  by  the  tongue  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  by  blaspheming  her  he  lost 
the  use  of  his  tongue ; and  by  speaking  basely  of  her,  suddenly  stricken 
he  fell  dead,  in  the  presence  of  the  multitude. 


6 


TRANSLATIONS  AN£>  REPRINTS. 


5.  A ROBBER  IS  DELIVERED  FROM  HANGING,  BECAUSE  OF 
HIS  PR  A YERS  TO  THE  VIRGIN 

fetienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  119,  p.  103. 

Also  it  is  read  that  a certain  robber  had  this  much  of  good  in  him, 
that  he  always  fasted  on  bread  and  water  on  the  vigils  of  the  blessed 
Mary.  And  when  he  went  forth  to  steal,  he  always  said,  “Ave  Maria” 
asking  her  not  to  permit  him  to  die  in  that  sin.  When,  however,  he 
was  captured  and  hung,  he  remained  there  three  days  and  could  not 
die.  Then  he  called  out  to  the  passers  by,  that  they  should  summon  a 
priest  to  him.  When  the  priest  came  and  the  prefect  and  others,  the 
robber  was  removed  from  the  gallows,  and  said  that  a most  beautiful 
virgin  had  held  him  up  by  his  feet  during  the  three  days.  Promising 
reform,  he  was  let  go  free. 


6.  THE  DEVIL  THWARTED  BY  FRA  YERS  TO  THE  VIRGIN . 
fitienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  129,  p.  no. 

Also  it  is  said  that  there  was  a certain  knight,  lord  of  a castle  in 
Auvergne,  whom  the  devil  served  in  human  form  for  twelve  years.  He 
wanted  to  carry  the  knight  off,  if  he  should  find  him  at  any  time 
unfortified,  on  account  of  crime.  When  this  was  revealed  to  a certain 
holy  man,  he  approached  the  castle,  saying  that  he  wished  to  speak 
with  the  servants.  When,  moreover,  the  devil  seeing  the  holy  man, 
wanted  to  run  and  hide,  the  latter  had  him  summoned,  and  adjured 
him  to  say  what  he  wanted  and  who  he  was.  He  replied  that  he  was 
the  devil  and  that  he  had  been  waiting  twelve  years  for  a chance  to 
carry  off  that  lord.  But  he  was  not  able  to  do  so,  because  seven  times 
each  day  the  lord  with  bent  knees  saluted  the  Virgin,  and  said  the 
“Pater  noster ” seven  times.  Adjured  in  the  name  of  the  blessed 
Virgin,  he  left  the  foul  corpse  in  which  he  was  and  fled. 


II.  TALES  OF  THE  DEVIL . 

The  mediseval  devil  is  a most  interesting  personage.  He  is  ubiquitous  and 
apparently  always  on  the  watch  to  aid  in  evil  doing.  Yet  when  he  has  entered  into 
the  body  of  a person,  he  proceeds  to  denounce  his  own  followers,  by  revealing  their 
secret  sins.  He  seems  to  be  almost  omnipotent,  yet  there  are  certain  limits  which  he 
cannot  exceed  and  he  can  be  routed  by  a simple  Ave  Maria.  He  is  frequently 


THE  DEVIL  CARRIES  A KNIGHT  FROM  THE  CHURCH. 


7 


employed  as  an  agent  of  God  or  in  the  service  of  some  saint.  Although  the  father 
of  lies,  he  must  tell  the  truth  when  properly  adjured.  Although  the  arch  deceiver,  he 
can  be  easily  deceived  and  hoodwinked.  His  demons  have  the  same  inconsistencies 
as  he.  They  love  jokes  and  laugh  heartily  at  each  other’s  misfortunes.  A large 
proportion  of  all  the  sermon  stories  are  concerned  with  the  instrumentality  of  the 
devil. 

The  first  tale  illustrates  the  readiness  of  the  devil  to  take  advantage  of  the  least 
word.  The  second  shows  the  devil  undergoing  punishment.  The  last  brings  out  the 
popular  belief  that  all  heretics  were  necessarily  emissaries  of  the  devil.  A knowledge 
of  this  belief  is  essential  to  a clear  understanding  of  the  general  attitude  toward 
heretics.  If  they  led  moral  lives  it  was  simply  due  to  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  who 
simulated  virtues  in  order  to  deceive  the  more  grossly. 

i.  THE  DEVIL  CONFESSES  THAT  HE  ENTERED  A WOMAN , 
BECAUSE  SHE  WAS  DELIVERED  TO  HIM  BY  HER 
HUSBAND. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  V.  Cap  XI.  Vol.  I,  p.  291. 

When  our  abbot  was  celebrating  mass  last  year  on  the  Mount  of 
the  Holy  Saviour  near  Aachen,  a possessed  woman  was  brought  to  him 
after  the  mass.  When  he  read  the  gospel  lesson  concerning  the 
ascension  over  her  head  and  at  these  words,  “ They  shall  lay  hands  on 
the  sick  and  they  shall  recover,”  he  placed  his  hands  upon  her  head, 
the  devil  gave  such  a horrible  roar  that  we  were  all  terrified.  Adjured 
to  depart,  he  replied,  “The  Most  High  does  not  wish  it  yet.”  When 
asked  in  what  manner  he  entered,  he  would  not  reply,  nor  would  he 
permit  the  woman  to  reply.  Afterward  she  confessed  that  when  her 
husband  in  anger  said,  “ Go  to  the  devil ! ” she  felt  the  latter  enter 
through  her  ear.  Moreover  that  woman  was  from  the  province  of 
Aachen  and  very  well  known. 


2.  THE  DEVIL  CARRIES  A KNIGHI  FROM  THE  CHURCH  OF 
ST.  THOMAS  IN  INDIA  TO  HIS  O WN  COUNTR  Y. 

Csesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  VIII,  Cap.  LIX.  Vol.  II,  pp.  131,  ff. 

In  a village  which  is  called  Holenbach,  there  lived  a certain 
knight  named  Gerard.  His  grandsons  are  still  living  and  hardly  a 
man  can  be  found  in  that  village  who  does  not  know  the  miracle  which 
I am  going  to  tell  about  him.  He  loved  St.  Thomas  the  apostle  so 
ardently  and  honored  him  so  especially,  above  the  other  saints,  that  he 
never  refused  any  pauper  seeking  alms  in  the  name  of  that  apostle. 
Moreover  he  was  accustomed  to  offer  to  the  saint  many  private  services, 
such  as  prayers,  fasts  and  the  celebration  of  masses. 


8 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


One  day,  by  the  permission  of  God,  the  devil,  the  enemy  of  all 
good  men,  knocking  at  the  knight’s  gate,  in  the  form  and  dress  of  a 
pilgrim,  sought  hospitality  in  the  name  of  St.  Thomas.  He  was 
admitted  with  all  haste,  and  since  it  was  chilly  and  he  pretended  to  be 
catching  cold,  Gerard  gave  to  him  his  own  fur  cape,  which  was  not 
badly  worn,  to  cover  himself  with  when  he  went  to  bed.  When  the 
next  morning  he  who  had  seemed  a pilgrim  did  not  appear,  and  the 
cape  was  sought  and  not  found,  his  wife  in  anger  said  to  the  knight, 
“ You  have  often  been  deceived  by  wanderers  of  this  kind  and  yet  you 
persist  in  your  superstition.”  But  he  replied  calmly,  “Do  not  be 
disturbed,  St.  Thomas  will  certainly  make  good  this  loss  to  us.” 

The  devil  did  this  in  order  to  provoke  the  knight  to  impatience  on 
account  of  the  loss  of  his  cape,  and  to  extinguish  in  his  heart  his  love 
for  the  apostle.  But  what  the  devil  had  prepared  for  his  destruction 
redounded  to  the  glory  of  the  knight.  By  it  the  latter  was  incited  the 
more  strongly ; the  former  was  confused  and  punished.  For  after  a 
little  time  Gerard  wanted  to  go  to  the  abode  of  St.  Thomas,  and  when 
he  was  all  ready  to  start,  he  broke  a gold  ring  into  two  pieces  before  the 
eyes  of  his  wife,  and  joining  them  together  in  her  presence,  gave  one 
piece  to  her  and  kept  the  other  himself,  saying,  “You  ought  to  trust 
this  token.  Moreover,  I ask  you  to  wait  five  years  for  my  return,  and 
after  that  you  can  marry  anyone  you  please.”  And  she  promised. 

He  went  on  a very  long  journey  and  at  length  with  great  expense 
and  very  great  labor,  reached  the  city  of  St.  Thomas  the  apostle. 
There  he  was  saluted  most  courteously  by  the  citizens,  and  received 
with  as  great  kindness  as  if  he  had  been  one  of  them  and  well  known 
to  them.  Ascribing  that  favor  to  the  blessed  apostle,  he  entered  the 
oratory,  and  in  prayer  he  commended  himself,  his  wife,  and  all  his 
possessions  to  the  saint.  After  this,  remembering  the  limit  fixed,  and 
thinking  that  the  five  years  ended  on  that  very  day,  he  groaned  and 
said,  “ Alas ! my  wife  will  now  marry  some  other  man.”  God  had 
delayed  his  journey  on  account  of  what  is  to  follow. 

When  the  knight  looked  around  in  sorrow,  he  saw  the  above- 
mentioned  demon  walking  about  in  his  cape,  and  the  devil  said,  “ Do 
you  know  me,  Gerard  ? ” He  said,  “ No,  I do  not  know  you,  but  I know 
my  cape.”  The  devil  replied,  “ I am  the  pne  who  sought  hospitality  from 
you  in  the  name  of  the  apostle ; and  I carried  off  your  cape,  for  which 
I have  been  severely  punished.”  And  he  added,  “ I am  the  devil,  and 
I am  commanded  to  carry  you  back  to  your  own  house  before  nightfall, 
because  your  wife  has  married  another  man  and  is  now  sitting  with  him 


TWO  HERETICS  WORK  MIRACLES  BY  THE  AID  OF  THE  DEVIL. 


9 


at  the  wedding  banquet.”  Taking  him  up,  the  devil  crossed  in  part  of 
a day  from  India  to  Germany,  from  the  east  to  the  west,  and  about 
twilight  placed  him  in  his  own  house  without  injury. 

He,  entering  his  own  house  like  a stranger,  saw  his  own  wife  eating 
with  her  husband.  Drawing  near,  in  her  sight  he  drew  out  the  half  of 
the  ring  and  sent  it  to  her  in  a cup.  When  she  saw  it,  she  immediately 
took  out  her  half  and  joining  it  to  the  part  given  to  her,  she  recognized 
him  as  her  husband.  Immediately  jumping  up,  she  rushed  to  embrace 
him,  proclaiming  that  he  was  her  husband,  Gerard,  and  saying  good- 
bye to  her  new  husband.  Nevertheless,  out  of  courtesy  Gerard  kept  the 
latter  with  him  that  night. 

In  this  as  in  the  preceding  miracle,  it  is  sufficiently  evident  how 
much  the  blessed  apostles  love  and  glorify  those  who  love  them. 


3.  7 WO  HERETICS  WORK  MIRACLES  BY  THE  AID  OF  THE 

DEVIL. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  V,  Cap.  XVIII.  Vol.  I,  pp.  296,  ff. 

Two  men  simply  clad,  but  not  without  guile,  not  birds  but  raven- 
ing wolves,  came  to  Besan^n,  feigning  the  greatest  piety.  They  were 
pale  and  thin.  They  went  about  bare-footed  and  fasted  daily.  They 
did  not  miss  a single  night  the  early  service  in  the  cathedral,  nor  did 
they  accept  any  alms  from  anyone  except  necessary  food.  When  by 
such  hypocrisy  they  had  attracted  the  attention  of  everyone,  they  began 
to  vomit  forth  their  hidden  poison  and  to  preach  to  the  ignorant  new 
and  unheard  of  heresies.  In  order,  moreover,  that  the  people  might 
believe  their  teachings,  they  ordered  meal  to  be  sifted  on  the  sidewalk 
and  walked  on  it  without  leaving  a trace  of  a footprint.  Likewise 
walking  upon  the  water,  they  could  not  be  immersed.  Also,  they  had 
little  huts  burnt  over  their  heads,  and  after  those  had  been  burnt  to 
ashes,  they  came  out  uninjured.  After  this  they  said  to  the  people, 
“ If  you  do  not  believe  our  words,  believe  our  miracles.” 

The  bishop  and  clergy  hearing  of  this  w7ere  greatly  disturbed.  And 
when  they  wished  to  resist  those  men,  affirming  that  those  were  heretics 
and  deceivers  and  ministers  of  the  devil,  they  escaped  with  difficulty 
from  being  stoned  by  the  people.  Now  that  bishop  was  a good  and 
learned  man  and  a native  of  our  province.  Our  aged  monk,  Conrad,  who 
told  me  these  facts  and  who  was  in  that  city  at  the  time,  knew  him  well. 

The  bishop  seeing  that  his  words  were  of  no  avail  and  that  the 
people  entrusted  to  his  charge  were  being  subverted  by  the  devil’s 


IO 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


agents,  summoned  a certain  clerk  that  he  knew,  who  was  very  well 
versed  in  necromancy,  and  said,  “ Certain  men  in  my  city  are  doing 
so  and  so.  I ask  you  to  find  out  from  the  devil  by  your  skill,  who  they 
are,  whence  they  come,  and  by  what  means  so  many  and  so  wonderful 
miracles  are  wrought  by  them.  For  it  is  impossible  that  they  should 
do  wonders  through  divine  inspiration  when  their  teaching  is  so  con- 
trary to  God’s.’,  The  clerk  replied,  “My  lord,  I have  long  renounced 
that  art.”  The  bishop  replied,  “ You  see  clearly  in  what  straits  I am. 
I must  either  acquiesce  in  their  teachings  or  be  stoned  by  the  people. 
Therefore  I enjoin  upon  you  for  the  remission  of  your  sins,  that  you 
obey  me  in  this  matter.” 

The  clerk,  obeying  the  bishop,  summoned  the  devil,  and  when 
asked,  told  why  he  had  called  him.  “ I am  sorry  that  I have  deserted 
you.  And  because  I intend  to  be  more  obedient  to  you  in  the  future 
than  in  the  past,  I ask  you  to  tell  me  who  these  men  are,  what  they 
teach,  and  by  what  means  they  work  so  great  miracles.”  The  devil 
replied,  “ They  are  mine  and  sent  by  me,  and  they  preach  what  I have 
placed  in  their  mouths.”  The  clerk  asked,  “ How  is  it  that  they  cannot 
be  injured,  or  sunk  in  the  water,  or  burned  by  fire  ? ” The  demon 
replied  again,  “ They  have  under  their  arm-pits,  sewed  between  the 
skin  and  the  flesh  my  compacts  in  which  the  homage  done  by  them  to 
me  is  written  ; and  by  virtue  of  these  they  work  such  miracles  and  can 
not  be  injured  by  anyone.”  Then  the  clerk,  “ Suppose  those  should  be 
taken  away?  ” The  devil  replied,  “ Then  they  would  be  weak  just  like 
other  men.”  The  clerk  having  heard  this,  thanked  the  demon,  saying, 
“ Now  go,  and  when  you  are  summoned  by  me,  return.” 

He  went  to  the  bishop  and  recited  these  things  to  him  in  order. 
The  latter  filled  with  great  joy,  summoned  all  the  people  of  the  city  to 
a suitable  place  and  said,  “ I am  your  shepherd,  ye  are  my  sheep.  It 
those  men,  as  you  say,  confirm  their  teaching  by  signs,  I will  follow 
them  with  you.  If,  however,  they  deserve  punishment,  you  shall  peni- 
tently return  to  the  faith  of  your  fathers  with  me.”  The  people  replied, 
“We  have  seen  many  signs  from  them.”  The  bishop,  “But  I have 
not  seen  them.” 

Why  protract  my  words?  The  plan  pleased  the  people.  The 
heretics  were  summoned.  The  bishop  was  present.  A fire  was  kindled 
in  the  midst  of  the  city.  Nevertheless,  before  the  heretics  entered  it, 
they  were  secretly  summoned  to  the  bishop.  He  said  to  them,  “ I want 
to  see  if  you  have  any  evil  about  you.”  Hearing  this  they  immediately 
stripped  and  said  with  great  confidence,  “ Search  our  bodies  and  our 


THE  RELICS  OF  ST.  MARTIN  HEAL  TWO  BEGGARS. 


IE 


garments  carefully.”  The  soldiers,  truly,  following  the  instructions  of 
the  bishop,  raised  their  arms,  and  noticing  under  the  arm-pits  some 
scars  that  were  healed  up,  broke  them  open  with  their  knives  and 
extracted  from  them  the  little  scrolls  which  had  been  sewed  in. 

Having  received  these,  the  bishop  went  forth  to  the  people  with 
the  heretics,  and  having  commanded  silence,  cried  out  in  a loud  voice, 
“ Now  shall  your  prophets  enter  the  fire,  and  if  they  are  not  injured  I 
will  believe  in  them.”  Then  the  wretched  men,  trembling  said,  “We 
are  not  able  to  enter  now.”  Then  the  bishop  told  the  people  of  the 
evil  which  had  been  detected,  and  showed  the  compacts.  Then  all 
furious  hurled  the  devil’s  ministers,  to  be  tortured  with  the  devil  in 
eternal  flames,  into  the  fire  which  had  been  prepared. 

And  thus  through  the  grace  of  God  and  the  action  of  the  bishop 
the  rising  heresy  was  extinguished  and  the  people  who  had  been  seduced 
and  corrupted  were  cleansed  by  penance. 


III.  TALES  OF  RELICS . 

Early  in  the  fourth  century,  if  not  before,  relics  began  to  hold  an  important  place 
in  Christian  worship.  The  number  of  relics,  the  miraculous  power  imparted  to  them, 
and  the  reverence  in  which  they  were  held  increased  constantly.  The  crusades 
greatly  strengthened  this  movement  in  the  west  of  Europe.  And  especially  the  fourth 
crusade,  in  which  Constantinople  was  captured.  There  the  relics  formed  a most  valu- 
able portion  of  the  spoils,  and  thence  they  were  scattered  throughout  the  west.  The 
miracles  wrought  by  the  relics  increased,  and,  in  fact,  many  relics  revealed  themselves 
miraculously  in  order  that  they  might  be  honored  by  the  devout.  The  Mendicant 
Friars  were  the  most  instrumental  in  fostering  the  faith  in  relics. 

In  the  thirteenth  century,  therefore,  we  find  a large  number  of  tales  devoted  to 
this  subject.  Most  of  them  are  evidently  reworkings  of  familiar  old  tales,  but  all  were 
eagerly  accepted  by  the  multitude.  At  the  same  time  the  more  learned  attempted 
cautiously  to  restrict  the  multiplication  of  relics.  When  men  began  to  travel,  and 
found  the  same  relic — the  head  of  John  fhe  Baptist,  for  example — in  two  or  more 
places,  they  began  to  be  sceptical.  At  the  fourth  Lateran  (Canon  62)  and  other 
councils  decrees  were  passed  against  impostors.  But  even  the  sceptical  admitted  that 
miracles  were  wrought  by  false  relics.  The  testimony  was  too  strong  to  be  denied. 


1.  THE  RELICS  OF  ST.  MARTIN  HEAL  TWO  BEGGARS 
AGAINST  THEIR  WILL. 

Jacques  de  Vitry,  CXII,  p.  52. 

Moreover,  although  poverty  and  other  tribulations  are  advantage- 
ous, yet  certain  ones  abuse  them.  Accordingly  we  read  that  when  the 


12 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


body  of  St.  Martin  was  borne  in  procession,  it  healed  all  the  infirm 
who  met  it.  Now  there  were  near  the  church  two  wandering  beggars, 
one  blind,  the  other  lame.  They  began  to  converse  together  and  said, 
“ See,  the  body  of  St.  Martin  is  now  being  borne  about  in  procession, 
and  if  it  catches  us  we  shall  be  healed  immediately,  and  no  one  in  the 
future  will  give  us  any  alms.  But  we  shall  have  to  work  and  labor 
with  our  own  hands.”  Then  the  blind  man  said  to  the  lame,  “Get  up 
on  my  shoulders  because  I am  strong,  and  you  who  can  see  well  can 
guide  me.”  They  did  this,  but  when  they  tried  to  escape,  the  procession 
overtook  them  ; and  since,  on  account  of  the  throng,  they  were  not  able 
to  get  away,  they  were  healed  against  their  will. 


2.  THE  ARM  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST  MAKES  A 
MERCHANT  WEALTHY. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  VIII.  Cap.  LIII.  Vol.  II,  pp.  125-26. 

Not  long  ago  a certain  merchant  of  our  country,  crossing  the  sea, 
saw  the  arm  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  in  his  hospital,  and  desired  it. 
Learning  that  the  custodian  of  the  relics  was  following  a certain  woman, 
and  knowing  that  there  is  nothing  which  women  of  that  class  cannot 
extort  from  men,  he  approached  her  and  said,  “ If  you  will  procure  for 
me  the  relics  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  of  which  your  lover  has  the 
charge,  I will  give  you  a hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  silver.”  She, 
craving  the  money,  refused  to  consent  to  the  hospitaler  until  he 
obtained  the  sacred  arm.  This  she  immediately  delivered  to  the  mer- 
chant and  received  the  promised  weight  of  silver. 

Do  you  perceive  how  great  a mockery?  Just  as  formerly  the  head 
of  St.  John  was  delivered  by  Herod  to  a lascivious  girl  as  a reward  for 
dancing,  and  by  her  was  given  to  an  adulterous  mother,  so  at  this  time 
the  hospitaler,  no  less  wicked  than  Herod,  gave  the  arm  of  the  same 
saint  to  a base  woman  as  the  price  of  fornication,  and  by  her  it  was  sold 
to  the  merchant. 

The  latter,  not  consigning  it  to  the  ground  like  Herodias,  but 
wrapping  it  in  purple,  fled  almost  to  the  extremities  of  the  earth  and 
arrived  at  the  city  of  Groningen,  which  is  located  at  the  entrance  to 
Frisia.  There  he  built  a house  and,  hiding  the  arm  in  one  of  the 
columns,  began  to  grow  exceedingly  wealthy. 

One  day  when  he  was  sitting  in  his  shop,  someone  said  to  him, 
“ The  city  is  burning  and  the  fire  is  now  approaching  your  house.”  He 
replied,  “ I do  not  fear  for  my  house.  I have  left  a good  guardian 


THE  ARM  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST  MAKES  A MERCHANT  WEALTHY. 


13 


there.”  Nevertheless  he  arose  and  entered  his  house.  When  he  saw 
the  column  unmoved  he  returned  to  his  shop.  All  wondered  what  was 
the  cause  of  so  great  confidence. 

When  questioned  about  the  guardian  of  his  house,  the  merchant 
replied  ambiguously.  But  when  he  realized  that  his  fellow-citizens 
noted  it,  fearing  lest  they  might  employ  violence  against  him,  he  took 
out  the  arm  and  delivered  it  into  the  care  of  a certain  hermitess.  She, 
unable  to  keep  the  secret,  told  a man  of  her  charge,  and  he  told  the 
citizens.  They  immediately  took  the  relics  and  carried  them  to  the 
church.  When  the  merchant  tearfully  requested  his  relics,  they  replied 
harshly.  When  they  asked  him  of  what  saint  these  were  the  relics,  he 
not  wishing  to  betray  the  facts  said  he  did  not  know.  Nevertheless  in 
grief  he  deserted  the  city,  and  falling  into  poverty  he  became  very  ill 
not  long  after.  When  he  eared  death,  he  disclosed  to  his  confessor 
what  the  relics  were  and  how  he  had  obtained  them. 

When  the  citizens  learned  this,  they  made  a receptacle,  in  the  form 
of  an  arm,  of  silver  and  gilt,  adorned  with  precious  stones,  and  placed 
the  relics  in  it.  I saw  the  same  arm  two  years  ago,  and  it  is  covered 
with  skin  and  flesh.  I also  saw  there  among  the  relics  a small  gold 
cross  of  Frederick  the  Emperor,  which  had  been  given  to  the  above- 
mentioned  merchant  at  the  same  time  as  the  arm. 

Novice:  “Since  no  one  of  the  saints  is  believed  to  be  greater 
than  St.  John  the  Baptist,  why  is  it  that  we  do  not  read  of  any  miracles 
in  his  life  ? ” 

Monk  : “So  that  God  may  show  that  holiness  does  not  consist  in 
miracles,  but  in  right  living.  For  after  death  he  was  illustrious  by 
innumerable  great  miracles.  The  aforesaid  citizens,  in  truth,  fearing 
for  the  relics  of  St.  John,  built  of  planks  a very  strong  little  house 
behind  the  altar,  and  by  night  they  had  a priest  sleep  in  the  top  of  it. 
The  house  was  so  shaken  under  him  on  the  first  night  that  he  felt  no 
slight  horror.  In  the  second  night  truly  it  struck  him  when  asleep 
and  hurled  him  onto  the  pavement.  When  one  of  the  rulers  of  the 
city  fell  sick,  at  his  request  Theoderic,  the  priest  of  the  church,  carried 
the  arm  to  his  house  and  unwrapped  it.  He  found  the  arm,  as  well  as 
the  purple  in  which  it  was  wrapped,  covered  with  fresh  blood.  He  told 
me  this  with  his  own  mouth.  A priest  cut  off  a small  piece  of  flesh 
from  the  same  arm,  and  when  he  carried  it  off  secretly  in  his  hand,  he 
felt  as  much  heat  from  it  as  if  he  had  been  carrying  burning  coal. 
Many  miracles  and  healings  indeed  were  wrought  in  that  city  by  the 
same  relics  through  the  merits  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.” 


14 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


3.  MIRA CLES  WROUGHT  BY  BRIDLE  FALSELY  CALLED 

A RELIC. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  VIII.  Cap.  LXX.  Vol.  II,  p.  140. 

A certain  kniglit  loved  most  ardently  the  above  mentioned  martyr, 
St.  Thomas  of  Canterbury,  and  sought  everywhere  to  obtain  some  relic 
of  him.  A certain  wily  priest,  in  whose  house  he  was  staying,  heard  of 
this  and  said  to  him,  “ I have  by  me  the  bridle  which  St.  Thomas  long 
used,  and  I have  often  experienced  its  virtue.”  When  the  knight  heard 
this,  thinking  it  true,  he  joyfully  paid  the  priest  the  money  which  he 
demanded,  and  received  the  bridle  with  great  devotion. 

God  truly,  to  whom  nothing  is  impossible,  wishing  to  reward  the 
faith  of  the  knight,  and  for  the  honor  of  his  martyr,  deigned  to  work 
many  miracles  through  the  same  bridle.  The  knight  seeing  this  founded 
a church  in  honor  of  the  martyr  and  in  it  he  placed  as  a relic  the  bridle 
of  that  most  wicked  priest. 


IV.  TALES  OF  CONFESSION. 

The  theories  as  to  the  necessity  and  efficacy  of  confession  varied  greatly.  But 
the  tendency  to  hold  all  Christians  to  a full  confession  of  all  sins  increased,  as  the 
members  of  the  church  realized  what  a powerful  weapon  such  confession  would  place 
in  their  hands.  At  the  fourth  Lateran  council  the  confession  of  all  sins  to  a priest  was 
made  obligatory  once  a year.  Soon  after  this  the  formula  of  absolution  changed  from 
the  deprecatory  form  to  the  statement  that  the  contrite  penitent  was  loosed  from  the 
sins  which  he  had  confessed.  By  confession  sins,  otherwise  mortal,  were  reduced  to 
the  rank  of  venial.  The  two  essentials  were  contrition  and  confession.  If  the  first 
was  present  confession  to  a layman  was  sufficient  in  case  no  priest  could  be  found. 
And,  as  we  learn  from  Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  in  cases  when  immediate  confession  was 
impossible,  contrition  alone  was  sufficient  to  loose  from  the  consequences  of  sin.  But 
confession  must  follow  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

The  following  tales  show  the  efficacy  of  confession — even  to  a layman ; the  fact 
that  all  sins,  even  the  most  trivial,  must  be  confessed ; and  the  danger  of  backsliding 
after  confession. 


1.  BY  CONFESSION  A GUILTY  FRIES!'  ESCAPES  EXPOSURE. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  Ill,  Cap.  II.  Vol.  I,  pp.  1 1 2-1 3. 

A certain  soldier  dwelt  in  a certain  village,  with  whose  wife  the 
priest  of  the  same  village  committed  adultery.  The  soldier  was  told 
that  the  priest  was  carrying  on  an  intrigue  with  his  wife.  He,  since  he 
was  a prudent  man  and  did  not  readily  believe  the  story,  wished  to  say 


BY  CONFESSION  A GUILTY  PRIEST  ESCAPES  EXPOSURE. 


*5 


nothing  about  it  to  his  wife  or  the  priest,  but  to  learn  the  truth  more 
fully.  But  he  was  not  without  some  suspicion.  There  happened  to  be 
in  another  village,  not  far  distant  from  the  one  in  which  the  soldier 
lived,  a possessed  person,  in  whom  the  demon  was  so  vile  that  in  the 
presence  of  bystanders  he  revealed  sins  which  were  not  cloaked  by  a 
true  confession.  The  soldier  learned  this  from  the  common  report  and 
asked  the  priest,  whom  he  suspected,  to  go  to  a certain  meeting  with 
him.  And  the  priest  promised. 

When  they  had  reached  the  village  where  the  possessed  one  was, 
the  priest  conscious  of  his  guilt,  began  to  suspect  the  soldier,  because  he 
was  not  ignorant  that  one  possessed  by  so  vile  a demon  dwelt  there. 
And,  fearing  for  his  life  if  he  was  betrayed  by  the  demon,  feigning 
some  necessity,  he  entered  a stable  and  throwing  himself  at  the  feet  of 
a servant  of  the  soldier,  said,  “ I ask  you  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to 
hear  my  confession.”  The  servant  greatly  terrified  raised  him  up  and 
heard  what  he  had  to  say.  After  the  confession  had  been  made,  the 
priest  asked  that  a penance  should  be  inflicted  upon  him ; and  the 
servant  replied  very  prudently,  saying,  “ Whatever  you  would  enjoin 
upon  another  for  3uch  a crime,  shall  be  your  atonement.” 

And  so  going  on  now  in  greater  security,  the  priest  went  with  the 
soldier  to  the  church.  There  meeting  the  possessed  one,  the  soldier 
asked,  “ Do  you  know  anything  about  me  ? ” For  he  did  this  on  pur- 
pose to  take  away  any  suspicion  that  the  priest  might  have.  When  the 
demon  made  some  reply  to  him  which  I do  not  know,  he  added, 
“ What  do  you  know  about  that  master  ? ” The  demon  replied,  “ I 
know  nothing  about  this  man.”  And  after  he  had  said  this  in  German, 
he  immediately  added  in  Latin,  “He  was  justified  in  the  stable.”  No 
clerk  was  present  at  the  time. 

Novice  : “ I am  sure  that  the  devil  did  not  speak  Latin  of  his  own 
free  will  at  that  time.” 

Monk  : “ He  was  not  allowed  to  speak  German,  lest  the  knight 
should  understand  what  he  said  and  learn  the  truth.  And  he  was  not 
permitted  to  be  silent,  in  order  that  he  might  show  to  the  priest  the 
virtuejof  confession.” 

Novice:  “ Great  is  the  virtue  of  confession  which  blots  out  the 
crime  of  adultery  from  the  devil’s  memory  and  liberates  a man  from 
imminent  peril.” 

Monk  : “ I heard  also  the  result  of  this  confession.  The  priest,  not 
unmindful  of  the  benefit  conferred  upon  him,  deserted  the  world  and 
became  a monk  in  a certain  monastery  of  our  order.  He  is  believed  to 


i6 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


be  still  living  as  I have  learned  from  a certain  abbot  of  the  Cistercian 
order.” 

Novice  : “ The  prophecy  of  that  impudent  demon  was  the  cause  of 
great  salvation  for  him.” 


2.  THROUGH  CONFESSION,  THE  BEVIES  RECORD  IS 
BLOTTED  OUT. 

fitienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  176,  pp.  155-156. 

The  manifold  inconveniences  and  losses  which  our  enemies  suffer 
from  the  confession  of  our  sins  ought  to  incite  us  to  confession.  It 
destroys  the  devil’s  records.  And  note  how,  when  a certain  clerk  was 
leading  a most  holy  life,  so  that  the  devil  envied  him,  the  devil  by 
tempting  the  clerk  caused  him  to  fall  into  grievous  sin.  When  more- 
over the  devil  wished  to  confound  the  clerk,  assuming  human  form  he 
accused  him  before  his  bishop. 

The  day  was  fixed  on  which  the  devil  was  to  prove  his  charges,  by 
bringing  to  the  judge  his  accounts,  in  which  were  recorded  the  place, 
the  time,  and  the  persons  to  whose  knowledge  the  clerk  had  sinned. 
The  said  clerk,  seeing  that  he  was  in  hard  straits,  confessed  all,  grieving 
and  purposing  not  to  return  to  sin.  When  moreover  they  were  in  the 
presence  of  the  judge  and  the  devil  said  he  had  much  against  the  clerk 
which  he  could  prove  by  writing  and  witnesses,  he  unrolled  his  records 
and  found  all  that  had  been  in  them  erased.  He  said,  “ All  that  I had 
against  this  man  was  certainly  written  here  this  very  day  and  I do  not 
know  who  has  destroyed  it  all.”  Having  thus  spoken,  he  vanished. 
The  clerk,  however,  narrated  all  of  these  things  to  the  bishop,  in  the  secrecy 
of  confession. 


3.  THROUGH  CONFESSION,  A FORGOTTEN PRA  YER  IS 
ERASED  FROM  THE  DE  VIES  BOOK. 

Etienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  177,  p.  156. 

Also  it  is  related  that  when  a certain  holy  father  was  at  one  time 
engaged  with  the  brethren  in  some  work,  he  forgot  to  say  the  none  at 
the  right  time,  on  account  of  his  occupation.  Afterwards  he  saw  the 
devil  passing  before  him,  bearing  on  his  shoulders  a very  large  book  in 
the  shape  of  a roll  which  looked  as  large  as  a tower.  And  he  adjured 
the  devil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  drop  that  book.  When  he  un- 
rolled the  book,  he  found  written  on  one  page  that  he  himself  had  not 
said  the  none  on  the  day  and  at  the  hour  when  he  ought  to  have  said  it. 


A HERETIC  HEALED  BY  CONFESSION  RELAPSES  AND  IS  BURNT. 


7 


Moreover,  prostrating  himself  at  once  at  the  feet  of  his  companions,  he 
confessed  his  negligence,  and  immediately  looking  again  in  the  devil’s 
roll,  he  found  that  what  had  been  written  there  was  erased,  and  thereby 
he  knew  the  efficacy  of  confession. 


4.  A HERETIC  HEALED  BY  CONFESSION  RELAPSES 
AND  IS  BURN1. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  III.  Cap.  XVII.  Vol.  I,  pp.  133-34. 

In  the  same  city,  namely  Argentina  which  is  Strassburg,  ten  here- 
tics were  seized.  When  they  denied  their  guilt,  they  were  convicted  by 
the  ordeal  of  glowing  iron  and  were  condemned  to  be  burnt.  When 
on  the  appointed  day  they  were  being  led  to  the  fire,  one  of  the  attend- 
ants said  to  one  of  them,  “ Wretched  one,  you  are  condemned.  Now  do 
penance  and  confess  your  sins,  lest  after  the  burning  of  the  body,  which 
is  only  momentary,  hell-fire  burns  your  soul  eternally.”  When  the  man 
replied,  “I  certainly  think  that  I have  been  mistaken,  but  I fear  repent- 
ance in  so  great  straits  will  be  by  no  means  acceptable  to  God.”  The 
former  replied,  “ Only  confess  from  your  heart.  God  is  merciful  and 
will  receive  the  penitent.” 

Wonderful  fact!  For  as  soon  as  the  man  confessed  his  perfidy, 
his  hand  was  fully  healed.  While  he  delayed  in  confession,  the  judge 
summoned  him  to  the  punishment.  His  confessor  replied  to  the  judge, 
“ It  is  not  just  that  an  innocent  man  should  be  condemned  unjustly.” 
Since  no  trace  of  a burn  was  found  in  his  hand,  he  was  dismissed. 

The  man  had  a wife  living  not  far  from  the  city  and  absolutely 
ignorant  of  these  things  which  have  been  related.  When  he  came  to 
her  rejoicing  and  said,  “ Blessed  be  God  who  has  liberated  me  to-day 
from  the  loss  of  body  and  soul ! ” and  explained  to  her  the  cause ; she 
replied,  “ What  have  you  done,  most  wretched  man,  what  have  you 
done  ? Why  have  you  withdrawn  from  your  holy  and  sacred  faith  from 
fear  of  momentary  pain  ? You  ought  rather,  if  it  were  possible,  to  expose 
your  body  a hundred  times  to  the  flames  than  once  to  withdraw  from  a 
faith  so  well  proven  ? ” 

Whom  does  not  the  voice  of  the  serpent  seduce  ? That  man,  un- 
mindful of  the  favor  divinely  conferred  upon  him,  unmindful  of  the 
so  manifest  miracle,  followed  his  wife’s  advice  and  returned  to  his  former 
error.  God,  not  unmindful  truly  of  the  crime,  in  return  for  so  great 
ingratitude,  tortured  the  hand  of  each  one.  The  burn  was  renewed  in 


iS 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


the  hand  of  the  heretic  and,  because  his  wife  was  the  cause  of  his  return- 
ing to  his  error,  she  was  made  his  companion  in  the  renewed  pain.  So 
vehement  was  the  burn  that  it  penetrated  to  the  bones.  And  since  they 
did  not  dare  in  the  village  to  utter  the  cries  which  the  violence  of  the 
pain  extorted,  they  fled  into  the  nearest  woods,  howling  there  like 
wolves.  Why  protract  my  words  ? They  were  betrayed,  led  back  to 
the  city,  and  together  cast  into  the  fire  which  was  not  yet  fully  extin- 
guished and  they  were  burnt  to  ashes. 

Novice  : “They  were  very  justly  punished.” 


V.  TALES  OF  THE  HOST 

The  beliefs  about  the  Lord's  Supper  were  a matter  of  constant  strife.  In  the 
fourth  Lateran  council  Innocent  III.  gave  ecclesiastical  sanction  to  the  expression 
transubstantiation.  “ The  heightened  conception  of  the  miracle  of  the  Supper  ” was 
marked  by  the  “ Adoration  of  the  Sacrament.”  The  rite  of  elevation,  practiced  by 
the  Greeks  and  introduced  into  Germany  in  the  first  years  of  the  XIII.  century,— in 
use  in  France  still  earlier, — was  made  universal  by  Honorius  III.  in  1217.  Naturally 
new  attention  was  directed  to  the  miraculous  qualities  of  the  elements,  and  the  tales 
became  more  frequent. 

No  belief  was  too  materialistic  for  the  ignorant,  miracle  loving  people.  The 
bread  was  seen  transformed  into  raw  flesh,  or  it  became  a beautiful  boy  just  as  it 
was  placed  in  the  mouth  of  the  communicant.  The  wine  became  real  blood.  To 
convince  the  doubting,  visions  like  the  one  in  the  first  example  were  common.  The 
tales  of  the  “ bleeding  hosts  ” had  a different  purpose.  They  were  intended  to  prove 
the  scholastic  doctrine  of  “ Christus  totus  in  utraque  specie ,”  i.  e.,  that  Christ’s  body 
must  be  thought  of  as  containing  the  blood  also — and  were  due  in  part  at  least  to  the 
increasing  withdrawal  of  the  cup  from  the  laity. 

The  superstitious  use  of  the  host  was  practiced  throughout  the  middle  ages,  but 
became  more  common  in  this  century.  Both  the  second  and  third  tales  show  the 
nature  of  these  superstitious  beliefs.  But  the  last  shows  also  that  even  the  least  of 
God’s  creatures  delight  in  doing  reverence  to  the  body  of  His  son.  Other  tales  might 
be  reproduced  showing  how  insects  were  punished  when  they  neglected  the  reverence 
due  to  the  host. 


1.  CHRIST  IS  SEEN  IN  THE  HANDS  OF  A PRIEST. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  IX,  Cap.  XXVIII.  Vol.  II,  p.  186. 

In  Hemmenrode  a certain  aged  priest,  Henry  by  name,  died  a few 
years  ago.  He  was  a holy  and  just  man,  and  bad  been  for  many  years 
sacristan  in  that  monastery.  When  he  was  celebrating  one  day  at  the 
altar  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  in  the  choir  of  the  lay-brethren,  a certain 


WOMAN  PUNISHED  FOR  SCATTERING  THE  HOST  UPON  HER  VEGETABLES.  I 9 


one  of  the  lay-brethren  standing  near,  saw,  in  the  hands  of  the  priest, 
the  Saviour  in  the  form  of  a man.  Nevertheless  the  priest  himself  did 
not  see  it.  One  of  the  elders  of  that  convent  related  this  to  me. 


2.  WOMAN  IS  PUNISHED  FOR  SCATTERING  THE  HOSI 
UPON  HER  VEGETABLES. 

Caesar  of  Heisterbach,  Dist.  IX,  Cap.  IX.  Vol.  II,  pp.  173-74. 

On  a certain  island  there  was  a certain  possessed  girl,  not  a nun, 
whom  I myself  saw  there.  When  the  devil  was  asked  by  a priest  why 
he  had  so  long  and  so  cruelly  tortured  Hartdyfa  de  Cogheme,  he  replied 
through  the  mouth  of  the  girl.  “ Why  ? She  has  most  certainly 
deserved  it.  She  scattered  the  Most  High  upon  her  vegetables.” 

Since  he  did  not  at  all  understand  the  saying,  and  the  devil  was 
unwilling  to  explain,  the  priest  went  to  the  woman  and  told  her  what 
the  devil  had  said  about  her,  advising  her  not  to  deny  it,  if  she  under- 
stood the  saying.  She  immediately  confessed  her  guilt,  saying,  “ I well 
understand  the  saying,  although  I have  never  told  any  man  of  it. 
When  I was  a young  girl  and  had  a garden  to  cultivate,  I received  a 
wandering  woman  as  a guest  one  night.  When  I told  her  of  my  losses 
in  my  garden,  saying  that  all  the  vegetables  were  being  devoured  by 
caterpillars,  she  replied,  ‘ I will  tell  you  a good  remedy.  Receive  the 
body  of  the  Lord,  break  it  in  pieces,  and  scatter  it  upon  your  vegetables. 
And  the  caterpillars  will  disappear  at  once.’  I,  wretched  one ! who 
cared  more  for  my  garden  than  for  the  sacrament,  when  I received  the 
body  of  our  Lord  at  Easter,  took  it  out  of  my  mouth  and  did  with  it  as 
I had  been  taught.  What  I had  intended  as  a remedy  for  my  vege- 
tables, became  a source  of  torment  to  me,  as  the  devil  is  my  witness.” 
Novice  : “ That  woman  was  more  cruel  than  the  attendants  of 
Pilate,  who  spared  Jesus  after  His  death,  and  did  break  up  His  bones.” 
Monk  : “ Therefore,  up  to  the  present  day  she  atones  for  that 
heinous  sin  and  suffers  unheard  of  tortures.  Let  those  who  employ  the 
divine  sacrament  for  temporal  gain,  or — what  is  more  execrable — for  evil- 
doing,  give  heed  to  this  punishment.  Also  if  vermin  neglect  to  do  rever- 
ence to  this  sacrament,  they  sometimes  suffer  punishment.” 


3.  BEES  CONSTRUC1  A CHURCH  FOR  THE  HOST 
Etienne  de  Bourbon,  No.  317,  pp.  266-67. 

For  I have  heard  that  a certain  rustic,  wishing  to  become  wealthy 
and  having  many  hives  of  bees,  asked  certain  evil  men  how  he  could 


20 


TRANSLATIONS  AND  REPRINTS. 


get  rich  and  increase  the  number  of  his  bees.  He  was  told  by  someone 
that  if  he  retained  the  sacred  communion  on  Easter  and  placed  it  in 
some  one  of  his  hives,  he  would  entice  away  all  of  his  neighbor’s  bees, 
which  leaving  their  own  hives,  would  come  to  the  place  where  the  body 
of  our  Lord  was  and  there  would  make  honey.  He  did  this. 

Then  all  the  bees  came  to  the  hive  where  the  body  of  Christ  was, 
and  just  as  if  they  had  felt  compassion  for  the  irreverence  done  to  it, 
by  their  labor  they  began  to  construct  a little  church  and  to  erect 
foundations,  and  bases,  and  columns,  and  an  altar  with  like  labor. 
And  with  the  greatest  reverence  they  placed  the  body  of  our  Lord  upon 
the  altar.  And  within  that  little  bee-hive  they  formed  that  little 
church  with  wonderful  and  the  most  beautiful  workmanship.  The  bees 
of  the  vicinity  leaving  their  hives  came  to  that  one ; and  over  that 
work  they  sang  in  their  own  manner  certain  wonderful  melodies  like 
hymns. 

The  rustic  hearing  this,  wondered.  But  waiting  until  the  fitting 
time  for  collecting  the  honey,  he  found  nothing  in  his  hives  in  which 
the  bees  had  been  accustomed  to  make  honey.  And  finding  himself 
impoverished  through  the  means  by  which  he  had  expected  to  be 
enriched,  he  went  to  that  one  where  he  had  placed  the  host,  where  he 
saw  the  bees  had  come  together.  But  when  he  approached,  just  as  if4 
they  had  wanted  to  vindicate  the  insult  to  our  Saviour,  the  bees  rushed 
upon  the  rustic  and  stung  him  so  severely  that  he  escaped  with  difficulty, 
and  in  great  agony.  Going  to  the  priest  he  related  all  that  he  had 
done  and  what  the  bees  had  done. 

The  priest,  by  the  advice  of  his  bishop,  collected  his  parishioners 
and  made  a procession  to  the  place.  Then  the  bees  leaving  the  hive, 
rose  in  the  air,  making  sweet  melody.  Raising  the  hive  they  found 
inside  the  noble  structure  of  that  little  church,  and  the  body  of  our 
Lord  placed  upon’ the  altar.  Then  returning  thanks  they  bore  to  their 
own  church  that  little  church  of  the  bees  constructed  with  such  skill 
and  elegance,  and  placed  it  on  the  altar. 

By  this  deed  those,  who  do  not  reverence,  but  offer  insult  instead 
to  the  sacred  body  of  Christ  or  the  sacred  place  where  it  is,  ought  to  be 
put  to  great  confusion. 


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number. 

IV.  Letters  of  the  Crusaders.  Double  number. 

V.  The  French  Revolution,  1789-1791.  Double  number. 

VI.  English  Constitutional  Documents.  Double  number. 

SERIES  FOR  1895- 

Price  $1.00  ; Single  Numbers,  10  cents ; Double  Numbers,  20  cents. 

I.  English  Towns  and  Gilds.  Double  number, 

II.  Napoleon  and  Europe.  Double  number. 

III.  The  Mediaeval  Student.  Single  number. 

IV.  Monastic  Tales  of  the  XIII.  Century.  Single  number. 

V.  England  in  the  Time  of  WyclifFe.  Double  (or  single)  number,  Sep- 
tember. 

jVI.  The  Period  of  the  Early  Reformation  in  Germany.  Double  number, 
October. 

VII.  Life  of  St.  Columban.  Single  (or  double)  number,  November. 

Discounts  will  be.  given  on  orders  for  25  or  more  numbers. 

Subscriptions  and  orders  should  be  sent  to 

DANA  C.  MUNRO, 

University  oe  Pennsylvania, 

August,  1895.  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


